diff --git a/_includes/components/funkwhale-stats-content.njk b/_includes/components/funkwhale-stats-content.njk
index eea0017..7e89fb7 100644
--- a/_includes/components/funkwhale-stats-content.njk
+++ b/_includes/components/funkwhale-stats-content.njk
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
   <div class="space-y-2">
     {% for artist in topArtists | head(5) %}
     <div class="flex items-center gap-3 p-3 bg-surface-50 dark:bg-surface-800 rounded-lg border border-surface-200 dark:border-surface-700 shadow-sm">
-      <span class="w-6 h-6 flex items-center justify-center text-sm font-bold text-surface-400 bg-surface-100 dark:bg-surface-700 rounded-full">{{ loop.index }}</span>
+      <span class="w-6 h-6 flex items-center justify-center text-sm font-bold text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 bg-surface-100 dark:bg-surface-700 rounded-full">{{ loop.index }}</span>
       <span class="flex-1 font-medium text-surface-900 dark:text-surface-100">{{ artist.name }}</span>
       <span class="text-sm text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">{{ artist.playCount }} plays</span>
     </div>
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@
       {% endif %}
       <p class="text-sm font-medium text-surface-900 dark:text-surface-100 truncate">{{ album.title }}</p>
       <p class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 truncate">{{ album.artist }}</p>
-      <p class="text-xs text-surface-400">{{ album.playCount }} plays</p>
+      <p class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">{{ album.playCount }} plays</p>
     </div>
     {% endfor %}
   </div>
diff --git a/_includes/components/sections/featured-posts.njk b/_includes/components/sections/featured-posts.njk
index 5c0e44b..8b45bc0 100644
--- a/_includes/components/sections/featured-posts.njk
+++ b/_includes/components/sections/featured-posts.njk
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ likedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-like-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ likedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-like-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ likedUrl }}">
             {{ likedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
           </h3>
           {% endif %}
           {{ bookmarkedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-bookmark-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ bookmarkedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-bookmark-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ bookmarkedUrl }}">
             {{ bookmarkedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ repostedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-repost-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ repostedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-repost-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ repostedUrl }}">
             {{ repostedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ replyToUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-in-reply-to text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ replyToUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-in-reply-to text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ replyToUrl }}">
             {{ replyToUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
diff --git a/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk b/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
index a7af710..5e9f2ed 100644
--- a/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
+++ b/_includes/components/sections/recent-posts.njk
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ likedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-like-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ likedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-like-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ likedUrl }}">
             {{ likedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@
           </h3>
           {% endif %}
           {{ bookmarkedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-bookmark-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ bookmarkedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-bookmark-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ bookmarkedUrl }}">
             {{ bookmarkedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ repostedUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-repost-of text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ repostedUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-repost-of text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ repostedUrl }}">
             {{ repostedUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@
             </time>
           </div>
           {{ replyToUrl | unfurlCard | safe }}
-          <a class="u-in-reply-to text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ replyToUrl }}">
+          <a class="u-in-reply-to text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:underline break-all mt-1 inline-block" href="{{ replyToUrl }}">
             {{ replyToUrl }}
           </a>
           {% if post.templateContent %}
diff --git a/_includes/layouts/base.njk b/_includes/layouts/base.njk
index 9a01c24..053c598 100644
--- a/_includes/layouts/base.njk
+++ b/_includes/layouts/base.njk
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@
     var _pfQueue = [];
     function initPagefind(sel, opts) { _pfQueue.push([sel, opts]); }
   </script>
-  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/lite-yt-embed.css?v={{ '/css/lite-yt-embed.css' | hash }}">
+  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/lite-yt-embed.css?v={{ '/css/lite-yt-embed.css' | hash }}" media="print" onload="this.media='all'">
+  <noscript><link rel="stylesheet" href="/css/lite-yt-embed.css?v={{ '/css/lite-yt-embed.css' | hash }}"></noscript>
   <script src="/js/vendor/lite-yt-embed.js?v={{ '/js/vendor/lite-yt-embed.js' | hash }}" defer></script>
   {# Alpine.js components — MUST load before Alpine core (Alpine.data() registration via alpine:init) #}
   <script src="/js/comments.js?v={{ '/js/comments.js' | hash }}" defer></script>
diff --git a/changelog.njk b/changelog.njk
index 09eb269..cdda470 100644
--- a/changelog.njk
+++ b/changelog.njk
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ withSidebar: false
                    class="text-xs px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-surface-100 dark:bg-surface-800 text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:text-accent-600 dark:hover:text-accent-400"
                    x-text="commit.repoName"></a>
                 <span class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 font-mono" x-text="formatDate(commit.date)"></span>
-                <span class="text-xs text-surface-400" x-text="'by ' + commit.author"></span>
+                <span class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400" x-text="'by ' + commit.author"></span>
               </div>
               <template x-if="commit.body">
                 <details class="mt-2">
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ withSidebar: false
     </div>
 
     {# Summary #}
-    <div x-show="commits.length > 0" class="mt-6 text-center text-xs text-surface-400">
+    <div x-show="commits.length > 0" class="mt-6 text-center text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">
       <span x-text="commits.length + ' commits'"></span>
       <span x-show="currentDays !== 'all'"> from the last <span x-text="currentDays"></span> days</span>
       <span x-show="currentDays === 'all'"> (all time)</span>
diff --git a/css/critical.css b/css/critical.css
index 051439d..0d0ab8b 100644
--- a/css/critical.css
+++ b/css/critical.css
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ main.container{padding-top:1.5rem;padding-bottom:1.5rem}
 .layout-with-sidebar{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr;gap:1.5rem}
 @media(min-width:1024px){.layout-with-sidebar{grid-template-columns:2fr 1fr;gap:2rem}}
 .main-content{min-width:0;overflow-x:hidden}
+/* Reserve sidebar space on desktop to prevent CLS when Alpine.js hydrates collapsible widgets */
+@media(min-width:1024px){.sidebar{min-height:600px}}
 
 /* Basic typography — prevent FOUT */
 h1,h2,h3,h4{margin:0;line-height:1.25}
diff --git a/css/tailwind.css b/css/tailwind.css
index 2e77357..5607dcc 100644
--- a/css/tailwind.css
+++ b/css/tailwind.css
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@
   }
 
   .nav-dropdown-menu a {
-    @apply block px-4 py-2 text-sm text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:bg-surface-100 dark:hover:bg-surface-700 hover:text-surface-900 dark:hover:text-surface-100 no-underline;
+    @apply block px-4 py-2.5 text-sm text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 hover:bg-surface-100 dark:hover:bg-surface-700 hover:text-surface-900 dark:hover:text-surface-100 no-underline;
   }
 
   .nav-dropdown-divider {
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
   }
 
   .mobile-nav-submenu a {
-    @apply pl-8 py-2 text-sm border-b-0;
+    @apply pl-8 py-3 text-sm border-b-0;
   }
 
   .mobile-nav-divider {
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@
 
   /* Category tags (post metadata pills) */
   .p-category {
-    @apply inline-block px-2 py-0.5 text-xs bg-surface-100 dark:bg-surface-800 text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-300 rounded border border-surface-200 dark:border-surface-700 hover:border-accent-400 dark:hover:border-accent-600 transition-colors;
+    @apply inline-block px-3 py-1.5 text-xs bg-surface-100 dark:bg-surface-800 text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-300 rounded border border-surface-200 dark:border-surface-700 hover:border-accent-400 dark:hover:border-accent-600 transition-colors;
   }
 
   /* Inline hashtags in post content — styled as subtle links, not pills */
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@
   }
 
   .facepile-avatar img {
-    @apply w-8 h-8 rounded-full;
+    @apply w-10 h-10 rounded-full;
   }
 
   /* GitHub components */
diff --git a/eleventy.config.js b/eleventy.config.js
index ec4c710..5a61754 100644
--- a/eleventy.config.js
+++ b/eleventy.config.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import markdownIt from "markdown-it";
 import markdownItAnchor from "markdown-it-anchor";
 import syntaxHighlight from "@11ty/eleventy-plugin-syntaxhighlight";
 import { minify } from "html-minifier-terser";
+import { minify as minifyJS } from "terser";
 import registerUnfurlShortcode, { getCachedCard, prefetchUrl } from "./lib/unfurl-shortcode.js";
 import matter from "gray-matter";
 import { createHash, createHmac } from "crypto";
@@ -1267,6 +1268,36 @@ export default function (eleventyConfig) {
 
     }
 
+    // JS minification — minify source JS files in output (skip vendor, already-minified)
+    if (runMode === "build" && !incremental) {
+      const jsOutputDir = directories?.output || dir.output;
+      const jsDir = resolve(jsOutputDir, "js");
+      if (existsSync(jsDir)) {
+        let jsMinified = 0;
+        let jsSaved = 0;
+        for (const file of readdirSync(jsDir).filter(f => f.endsWith(".js") && !f.endsWith(".min.js"))) {
+          const filePath = resolve(jsDir, file);
+          try {
+            const src = readFileSync(filePath, "utf-8");
+            const result = await minifyJS(src, { compress: true, mangle: true });
+            if (result.code) {
+              const saved = src.length - result.code.length;
+              if (saved > 0) {
+                writeFileSync(filePath, result.code);
+                jsSaved += saved;
+                jsMinified++;
+              }
+            }
+          } catch (err) {
+            console.error(`[js-minify] Failed to minify ${file}:`, err.message);
+          }
+        }
+        if (jsMinified > 0) {
+          console.log(`[js-minify] Minified ${jsMinified} JS files, saved ${(jsSaved / 1024).toFixed(1)} KiB`);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // Syndication webhook — trigger after incremental rebuilds (new posts are now live)
     // Cuts syndication latency from ~2 min (poller) to ~5 sec (immediate trigger)
     if (incremental) {
diff --git a/funkwhale.njk b/funkwhale.njk
index 58143c4..d3545b5 100644
--- a/funkwhale.njk
+++ b/funkwhale.njk
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ withSidebar: true
         <div class="text-right flex-shrink-0">
           <span class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">{{ listening.relativeTime }}</span>
           {% if listening.duration %}
-          <span class="text-xs text-surface-400 block">{{ listening.duration }}</span>
+          <span class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 block">{{ listening.duration }}</span>
           {% endif %}
         </div>
       </div>
diff --git a/interactions.njk b/interactions.njk
index 712e8b2..c998a07 100644
--- a/interactions.njk
+++ b/interactions.njk
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ permalink: /interactions/
       role="tab" id="interactions-tab-outbound" aria-controls="interactions-panel-outbound"
       class="px-4 py-3 text-sm font-medium border-b-2 -mb-px transition-colors">
       My Activity
-      <span class="ml-1 text-xs text-surface-400">(outbound)</span>
+      <span class="ml-1 text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">(outbound)</span>
     </button>
     <button
       @click="activeTab = 'inbound'"
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ permalink: /interactions/
       role="tab" id="interactions-tab-inbound" aria-controls="interactions-panel-inbound"
       class="px-4 py-3 text-sm font-medium border-b-2 -mb-px transition-colors">
       Received
-      <span class="ml-1 text-xs text-surface-400">(inbound)</span>
+      <span class="ml-1 text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">(inbound)</span>
       <span x-show="totalInbound > 0" x-text="totalInbound" class="ml-1 px-1.5 py-0.5 text-xs bg-rose-100 dark:bg-rose-900 text-rose-700 dark:text-rose-300 rounded-full"></span>
     </button>
   </div>
diff --git a/lib/unfurl-shortcode.js b/lib/unfurl-shortcode.js
index 63e43e9..7494a5b 100644
--- a/lib/unfurl-shortcode.js
+++ b/lib/unfurl-shortcode.js
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ export function renderCard(url, metadata) {
     <div class="flex-1 p-3 sm:p-4 min-w-0">
       <p class="font-semibold text-sm sm:text-base text-surface-900 dark:text-surface-100 truncate m-0">${escapeHtml(title)}</p>
       ${desc ? `<p class="text-xs sm:text-sm text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 mt-1 m-0 line-clamp-2">${escapeHtml(desc)}</p>` : ""}
-      <p class="text-xs text-surface-400 dark:text-surface-400 mt-2 m-0">${faviconHtml}${escapeHtml(domain)}</p>
+      <p class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 mt-2 m-0">${faviconHtml}${escapeHtml(domain)}</p>
     </div>
     ${imgHtml}
   </a>
diff --git a/podroll.njk b/podroll.njk
index 29d4f01..a9a3cbd 100644
--- a/podroll.njk
+++ b/podroll.njk
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ permalink: /podroll/
                     <span x-text="episode.podcast?.title || 'Unknown'"></span>
                   </a>
                   <time class="font-mono text-sm" :datetime="episode.published" x-text="formatDate(episode.published)"></time>
-                  <span x-show="episode.enclosure" class="text-surface-400">
+                  <span x-show="episode.enclosure" class="text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">
                     <svg class="w-3 h-3 inline" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
                       <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" d="M15.536 8.464a5 5 0 010 7.072m2.828-9.9a9 9 0 010 12.728M5.586 15.536a5 5 0 001.414 1.414m2.828-9.9a9 9 0 012.828-2.828"/>
                     </svg>
diff --git a/readlater.njk b/readlater.njk
index e867768..3784e87 100644
--- a/readlater.njk
+++ b/readlater.njk
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ permalink: /readlater/
                   ></span>
                   <time class="font-mono text-sm" :datetime="item.savedAt" x-text="formatDate(item.savedAt)"></time>
                 </div>
-                <p class="text-xs text-surface-400 mt-1 truncate" x-text="item.url"></p>
+                <p class="text-xs text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400 mt-1 truncate" x-text="item.url"></p>
               </div>
             </div>
 
diff --git a/webmention-debug.njk b/webmention-debug.njk
index 712888c..1c6cda6 100644
--- a/webmention-debug.njk
+++ b/webmention-debug.njk
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ pagefindIgnore: true
                     <div>{{ legacyUrl }}</div>
                   {% endfor %}
                 {% else %}
-                  <span class="text-surface-400">-</span>
+                  <span class="text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">-</span>
                 {% endif %}
               </td>
               <td class="p-2 text-right">
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ pagefindIgnore: true
                     {{ allMentions.length }}
                   </span>
                 {% else %}
-                  <span class="text-surface-400">0</span>
+                  <span class="text-surface-600 dark:text-surface-400">0</span>
                 {% endif %}
               </td>
             </tr>